Sectional cigarette case



Jan. 18, 1938. H. AUSLANDER SECTIONAL CIGARETTE CASE Filed July 15, 1936INVENTOR fine/ flzslarza er BY 5 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE SECTIONAL CIGARETTE CASE Henry Auslander, New York,N. Y.

Application July 15,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a sectionalcigarette case.

The invention has for an object the construction of a sectional case theparts of which may be formed of plastic or other materials.

A further object of the invention resides in the construction of asectional case which is characterized by a pair of end elongatedelements associated with a plurality of parallel elongated elementsarranged in a common plane and side by side.

Still further it is proposed to provide each of the central elementswith a longitudinal groove in one side for a cigarette and to providetop and bottom flanges for closing the top and bottom ends of the groovein an adjacent central element.

Still further the invention proposes the provision of flexible elasticmembers extending through top and bottom portions of said elements andat their ends connecting with said end elements for uniting saidelements in a unit so that adjacent elements may be relatively bent andoper ated to expose said grooves.

Another object of this invention resides in an arrangement whereby theparallel elements may be removed and replaced when desired. With thisconstruction it is possible to enlargethe holding capacity of thecigarette case or to reduce it, as required.

For further comprehension -of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of .the invention are more particularly setforth.

' In the accompanying drawing forming a mate rial part of thisdisclosure:

L Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a sectional cigarette caseconstructed according to this invention, illustrated with one cornerbroken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 illustrated with one corner broken away.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the central elements.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the sectional cigarette case in aposition in which one of the grooves is exposed.

Fig. 5 is a sectional perspective view of a cigarette case constructedaccording to a modification of this invention.

; .Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the cigarette case embodying amodification, a portion thereof being broken away to disclose theinterior construction.

1936.8erlal No. 90,691

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end elevational view looking in the direction ofthe line I-'I of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of one of the central elements.

Fig. 9 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but showing a further modified formof the invention.

Fig. 10 is another similar view to Fig. 2, but showing a. still furthermodified form of the invention.

The sectional cigarette case comprises a pair 10 of end elongatedelements IO and II respectively. a A plurality of central elongatedelements I2 are arranged between said end elements in a common planetherewith and in side contact with each other. Each of said centralelements has 15 a longitudinal groove I3 in one side thereof for holdinga cigarette l4. These grooves extend the complete lengths of theelements. The top and bottom end portions of these grooves are closed bytop and bottom flanges I5 from an immediately adjacent longitudinalelement.

Flexible elastic members I6 extend through top and bottom portions ofsaid elements for uniting the elements in a unit so that adjacentelements may be relatively bent and separated to expose the grooves.These flexible elastic members preferably should comprise elastic cords.The ends of these cords I6 are provided with knots I6 which are disposedwithin small recesses I'I formed in the outer faces of the end elements.The end element I U is solid without a groove for a cigarette. It isprovided with flanges I5, however, for extending over and closing theends of the grooves I3 in the immediately adjacent element I2. The endelement II is formed 35 with a groove I3 for a cigarette which has itsends closed by flanges I5 from an immediately adjacent element I2.

In Fig. 4 the cigarette case is shown bent to expose one of the groovesso that the cigarette 40 held by this groove may be seen.

In Fig. 5 a modified form of the invention has been disclosed which issubstantially identical to the prior form except that each of theelements is formed with longitudinal edge flanges I8 engaging receivinggrooves I8 in an adjacent element. These flanges and grooves hold theelements with greater rigidity in the common plane.

In the prior form of the invention small projecting portions Iii formone'of the elements engaged into the groove I3 of an adjacent elementfor holding the elements in said common plane. In Fig. 5 this sameconstruction is provided but this construction is supplemented with theflanges I8 and the grooves I8.

' In Figs. 6-8 inclusive a modification of the invention has beendisclosed wherein there is apro-- vision for removing or addingadditional central elements. Specifically, the ends of the elastic cordsiii are provided with pins 20. These pins are capable of engaging inbayonet slots 2| formed along the longitudinal outer faces of the endelements. Each of the central elements l2 are formed with bayonet slots23 through which the elastic member it pass. In other respects this formis identical to the previous forms and the same parts may be recognizedby similar reference numerals.

To remove one of the elements I! it is necessary that the adjacentelements be separated from it by a slight extension of the elasticmembers and the particular element l2 be moved so that the portions ofthe elastic members l6 which pass through the bayonet slot 23 engage outfrom the slot. To compensate for the slack in the elastic member IS thepins may be moved to 'diflerent locations in the bayonet slots 2!. Itshould be realized that the number of central elements which may beadded or subtracted is limited merely to the possible correct tensioningof the elastic members I6.

In Fig. 9 the central elements l2 are illustrated with flat faces I8adjacent the grooves l3 and in Fig. 10 the elements l2 are illustratedwith shallow grooves i8 adjacent grooves I3.

It is to be understood that this device may be used not only forcigarettes, but also for cigars, or any other desired article. Also thatthe extension flange portions l5 may be of. any desired ornamentationand shape.

while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right 40. is reserved toall changes and modifications coming within the scope or the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A sectional cigarette case comprising a pair I of end elongatedelements, a plurality of central elongated elements between said endelements and in a common plane and arranged side by side, each of saidcentral elements having a longitudinal groove in one side for acigarette and top and bottom flanges for closing the top and bottom endsof the groove in an adjacent central element, and flexible elasticmembers extending through top and bottom portions of said elements andat their ends connecting with said end elements for uniting saidelements in a unit so that adjacent elements may be relatively bent andseparated to exposed said grooves, said elements having longitudinalflanges extending along their sides and engaging complementary groovesin adjacent elements.

2. A sectional cigarette case comprising a pair of end elongatedelements, a plurality of central elongated elements between said endelements and in a common plane and arranged side by side, each of saidcentral elements having a longitudinal groove in one side for acigarette and top and bottom flanges for closing the top and bottom endsof the groove in an adjacent central element,

and flexible elastic members extending through top and bottom portionsof said elements and at their ends connecting with said end elements foruniting said elements in a unit so that adjacent elements may berelatively bent and separated to expose said grooves, one of said endelements being formed with a longitudinal groove for an additionalcigarette, the end flanges of the adjacent central element serving toclose the top and bottom ends of this groove. I

3. A sectional cigarette case comprising a pair of'end elongatedelements, a plurality of central elongated elements between said endelements and in a common plane and arranged side by side, each of saidcentral elements having a longitudinal groove in one side for acigarette and top and bottom flanges for closing the top and bottom endsof the groove in an adjacent central element, and flexible elasticmembers extending through top and bottom portions of said elements andat their ends connecting with said end elements for uniting saidelements in a unit so that adjacent elements may be relatively bent andseparated to expose said grooves, one of said end elements being formedwith a longitudinal groove for an additional cigarette, the end flangesoi the adjacent central element serving to close the top and bottom endsof this groove, and other of said end elements being provided with topand bottom flanges for closing the top and bottom ends of thelongitudinal groove in the adjacent central element.

4. A sectional cigarette case comprising a pair of end elongatedelements, a plurality of central elongated elements between said endelements and in a common plane and arranged side by side, each of saidcentral elements having a longitudinal groove in one side for acigarette and top and bottom flanges for closing the top and bottom endsof the groove in an adjacent central element,

flexible elastic members extending through top and bottom portions ofsaid elements and at their ends connecting with said end elements foruniting said elements in a unit so that adjacent elements may berelatively bent and separated to expose said grooves, pins attached uponthe ends of said elastic members and engageable in bayonet slots formedalong the sides of said end elements for tensioning the elastic members.

5. A sectional cigarette case comprising a pair of end elongatedelements, a plurality of central elongated elements between said endelements and in a common plane and arranged side by side, each of saidcentral elements having a longitudinal groove in one side for acigarette and top and bottom flanges for closing the top and bottom endsof the groove in an adjacent central element, flexible elastic membersextending through top and bottom portions of said elements and at theirends connecting with said end elements for uniting said elements in aunit so that adjacent elements may be relatively bent and separated toexpose said grooves, pins attached upon the ends of said elastic membersand engageable in bayonet slots formed along the sides of said endelements for tensioning the elastic members, and said central elementshaving bayonet slots through which the elastic members may be passed topermit the removal or the replacement of the central element upon theelastic members.

6. A sectional cigarette case comprising a pair of end elongatedelements, a plurality of central elongated elements between said endelements and in a common plane and arranged side by side, each of saidcentral elements having a longitudinal groove in one side for acigarette and top and bottom flanges for closing the top and bottom endsof the groove in an adjacent central element, flexible elastic membersextending through top and bottom portions of said elements and at theirends connecting with said end elements for uniting said elements in aunit so-that adjacent elements may be relatively bent and separated toexpose said grooves, pins attached upon the ends of said elastic membersand engageable in bayonet slots formed along the sides of said endelements for tensioning the elastic members, and said, central elementshaving bayonet slots through which the elastic members may be passed topermit the removal or the replacement of the central element upon theelastic members, said latter-mentioned bayonet slots communicating withone of the faces of each central element.

7. In a sectional cigarette case, a pair of end elongated elements, aplurality of central elongated elements between said end elements andeach having a longitudinal groove in one side for a cigarette, top andbottom flanges formed on said elements for closing the top and bottomends of said grooves, resilient means extending through top and bottomportions of said central elements and connecting at their ends with saidend elements for holding said elements in a flexible unit so thatadjacent elements may be bent apart' to open positions to expose saidgrooves, said resilient means, comprising elastic members extendingthrough the top and bottom portions of said elements, pins mounted onone of the ends of said elastic members and engageable in difierentpositions in bayonet slots formed along the out- Side edge of one ofsaid end elements, whereby said pins may be selectively engaged in saidslots to increase or decrease the rigidness between said elements.

HENRY AUSLANDER.

